'Nix vs the Bling- Match Thread

umm paston was in goal

I believe it is a tribute to last years George threads.

To the Liverpool guy in isle 25 you were a legend, when we went behind you were giving the chants plenty.

What a difference a bit of effort and passion make. Dodd great effort and you should never grace the midfield again.   Sigmund and Muscat came in and did a fantastic job.

Ricki well done the team went out with a formation and hell of a job motivating them.

Gao and Kwasnik played the wide roles superbly with Brown and Johnson solid, hard working and calm in possession.

Paston, thought he was flat footed for goal but after that came out and bossed the area and threw in a couple of good saves. Distribution was real good. Great to see him put in a good effort after the last time he played for nix. Bit of competition for Moss on that performance.

Agent 472008-09-28 20:34:34

Always remember... Paston's first game was behind Old and O'Dor.  This should ALWAYS be remembered.

Aus sources say Kwas was robbed for that last goal, true ?

Whose was Moss' first game behind? Agent 472008-09-28 20:38:27

FKN O for awesome.If anyone has found my voice can they please let me know.
Great effort by the team and the YF section.Was pleasantly surprised by the crowd size.

thanks Nix you've completed a great day for this happy football fan

Classic moment:

Congrats all round lads and lasses on the job well done.

They worked on their own game with commitment and passion with good discipline and then linked well with each other.

We all can see that they all got the ability and Ricki had laid down the challenge for them to step up. The competitive spirit is back and we got our mojo.

Interesting line-up. I wager that besides the obvious missing in actions like injuries etc, Ricki would have created an competitive-based training week for the players to complete for the team spots as part of the commitment passion incentive to lift their confidence up. Which saw certain players gain spots and others lose their spots. This is why the naming of the squads were not announced until the morning of the match. (I expected that they do have a morning light workout on match day for them to listen for the announcement prior to press release). good to see that players, that were bagged and had some doubts by many, have stepped up and made sure they did their bit.

Next week selection is going to interesting . . . .

Ok now lets all have a big hug . . . and enjoy the moment.

Yeah and then I thought he'd given Smeltz the yellow card for complaining.

i turned up expecting a pantsing, but a lot of ticker and desire was on show out there from the nix great effort boys

Anyone know the score 4 queensland vs melbourne? smith_4562008-09-28 20:49:05

There is a match thread.  Still nil all.

If you're going to claim that you can't take all the credit, I said much the same about the lack of a leader in the midfield and there were comments from others that I saw too.
Critical_Lemon2008-09-28 20:55:00

why didnt hearfield play?

OK, hands up.  I've bagged them over the last few weeks and when I saw the side I thought we were screwed again.  But at last some guts, passion and a desire to win. I thought the substitutions were odd but what do I know?  He got the win.  

has anyone else tried to get on the sydney forums?  For some reason it aint working for me

On four four two everyones saying how poorly sydney played and how brilliantly we did.

Sorry if allready been said.

What was Crowd size?

Because he's been rubbish.

Nor me.  Angst related collapse ?

Do not question the  Mossmaster.

What a game.  Sydney absolutely dominated at the start but we fought our way into the game and took it by the scruff of the neck.  Went absolutely berserk when Smeltz scored.  It was vital we get those 3 points before our couple of weeks on the road.

Leilei Gao, Smeltz, Sigmund, and Johnson were standout.  They were all brilliant.  My heart almost stopped when the ref pulled out the red on Coveny though. 

Very happy with that result, bring on the Jets.

Royal2008-09-28 21:07:37

Even happened to us last week with our angst.

Always good when some of your pet theories get tested out, albeit almost by accident.

Paston v Moss - my theory is Paston is better and today I think he showed he was.

Daniel is off the pace - yep, didn't miss him at all.

Tim Brown should be in - say no more.

Coveny should start home games - proved his point.

Kwasnik should be playing - yep point proven here as well.

Mulligan should be dropped - yep wasn't missed at all and replaced by a better player.

Gao is a good player - he faded but he started really well.

Lochhead should remember how to cross - he did.

So pretty much a good day at the office and theories doing pretty well.

I think Paston is a better organiser of those in front of him - Moss is more your spectacular save man. Paston for me.

As happy as I've ever felt about sport, perfect day, had family down from Auckland with me, and what a result.

Almost had a heart attack on hearing the team - no Moss, Durrante, McKain, Mulligan, Ferrante, Daniel etc.

Thoughts:

1/.  I've seldom seen the tone of a game change so much from start to finish.  First quarter looked like more of the same:  Sydney retaining the ball and passing sweetly, us losing possession too easily.   And lets face it, had we gone 0-2 down when Sydney hit the post midway through first half it would likely have been all over.  But we lifted ourselves in the second qurter and Smeltz' goal was no more than we deserved.  My party went temporarily insane. 

In the second half I thought Sydney progressively lost it.  Suddenly it was Phoenix retaining possession and dominating midfield.  Definitely a first this season and great to see.  Sydney have so many talented players, but the whole was less than the sum of parts tonight. 

2/.  Its hard to single out individuals, but for me Tim Brown was immense.  Maybe more so because we had been so weak in that area previously.  I'd just been thinking how much he had added when he scored the winner.  Both showed energy to win the ball and retained & distributed well. 

My ratings

Paston 8.5   What more could you ask.  So good in the air and came off his line just right.
Lockhead 9.   Finally the player of old, shone in both defence and attack tonight.
Dodd 8.   Why oh why did we ever move him from CB?  Goal aside, aerial defence was a highlight.
Sigmund 8   Never wavered.
Muscat 7   lacks attacking flair of Locky, but sound enough
Johnson 6  solid enough
Brown 9   see above
Kwasnik 8  like many others, I'd been unimpressed till today, but he was a revelation at left midfield. Linked with both Locky and Smeltz seemlessly.
Gao 8.   In the first half I thought he was the conduit to almost every promising move.  Frankly I think he could be used more in playmaker role, transition from D to A.  Didn't so much fade in 2H as we never moved the ball to the right.
Covs 6.   Did role without ever sparkling.  Sydney No 12 constantly fouled him off the ball.
Smeltz 9.   Yet again shows versatility of skills.  May the clown who called him a journeyman have that tattooed on his forehead.

I'm currently hoarse from yelling.  Might have to pull a sicky tomorrow.  But who cares.

Yippeeeeeee.


Pacwarior2008-09-28 21:18:21

Only negative is after we scored our second goal space opened up for us everywhere and we'd go part way up the field then turn around and go back instead of trying to seal the victory.  At seasons end goals for/against could be vital and they should've at least tried for another. loyalgunner2008-09-28 21:20:11

I have to agree would start Paston in the next one. He just reaches on the Inspector Gadget arms and defuses all the crosses. Good come back from him. A couple of very good saves too. Moss is good, but I think Paston deserves another start after his patience, sticking with the club and his performance today.

Kwasnik looked good on the left, combining well, cutting in. He would have been good for a goal , which would have lifted his confidence no doubt and maybe started his Nix scoring run.

I like Paston ahead of Moss, and Kwasnik ahead of Hearfield if they play as well as they did today.

Agree with what was said above else.

OK point, but then I'm guessing that we were messing around with them and they might have made a mistake in desperation and we just jump on them for another goal. Great to have possession isn't it. Just a safer way to skin a cat. Brazilian style

So Durante possibly at right back, though I thought Muscat did well there today, Mckain and Brown interchangable in the centre of the midfield? what do you reckon?

Free them up- you could see Durante dying to get forward and attack against Perth!

Sigmund has to have earned a starting berth. Him and Nelsen to take us to the World Cup says I! (though where does that leave Boyens?? in another thread...)